Region 1 leaders refreshed, renewed during retreat

Over the last 30 years, Region 1 EMC churches (Burns Lake and Vanderhoof, B.C., and Grande Prairie, High Level, La Crete and Hillside, all in Alberta) have met every two years for a weekend leadership retreat. The distance between churches in our region has always been a challenge. Recently we have met somewhat centrally in the Best Western Plus in the beautiful “Gateway to the Rockies” town of Hinton, Alta.

Region 1 leaders gathered May 2-4, 2025, at the Best Western Plus in Hinton, AB.

Our get-(re)acquainted session Friday evening (May 2, 2025) involved some flying of paper airplanes—a skill many may have developed in their junior high school days? It was good to have some EMC staff guests: Emery and Bev Plett and Carl Heppner reported on their areas of work and Conference Pastor Andy Woodworth was our guest speaker.

Each session included singing, church reports, and inspirational/teaching sessions. Sessions were held Saturday morning and evening and Sunday morning.

Saturday afternoon was set aside for visiting and relaxing. Some opted for the walking trails, some for a drive to Jasper (about 80 kms) to view the fire damage of last summer, and some may have had meddach schlope (afternoon nap).

Our speaker Andy Woodworth focused on John 10, the Good Shepherd, challenging us in being shepherds. He reminded us that, while we are shepherds, we are also sheep—who need to hear and recognize the Chief Shepherd’s voice in the midst of other competing voices. The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy. Being in an information-explosion age, we can be saturated with too much information, with overstimulation causing fear, anxiety, paranoia, and dualistic thinking and fixating on minor secondary issues. The temptation can be to “rev up,” instead of slowing down and then feeling guilty when we get “weary in doing good” (Galatians 6:9). Yet the Good Shepherd came to bring “life…to the full” (John 10:10).

Andy took us into reflections on Jesus’ words to the church in Ephesus (Revelation 2), that “you have lost your first love;” that perhaps the real cost of busyness is the loss of spiritual vibrancy.

Martha Doerksen and her group ended each singing time with “Be still and know that I am God.”

Church reports are always an item of interest. Reports were sprinkled with statistics, positive happenings and struggles, giving occasions for mutual prayer support.

Sunday morning Russell Peters from LCCF led in communion. It was a refreshing, weekend of warm fellowship, renewed friendships, mutual encouragement and learning together.